Sam Neill dies at 78. Who was 'Jurassic Park' star?
Sam Neill dies at 78. Who was 'Jurassic Park' star?
Jenna Prestininzi, Bryan Alexander and KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY NETWORKMon, July 13, 2026 at 12:46 PM UTC
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"Jurassic Park" star Sam Neill died Monday, July 13, at 78, months after declaring himself cancer-free.
The award-winning actor known for playing Dr. Alan Grant in several "Jurassic Park" films, died just months after having been treated for a rare blood cancer. Neill's family announced Neill's "sudden and unexpected" death on the actor's Instagram account.
"It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia," the post stated, referring to the Māori word for extended family. "Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life."
Neill is survived by two sons and two daughters.
Here's what to know about Sam Neill.
When did Sam Neill die?
Sam Neill died suddenly on July 13 in Sydney, Australia, at age 78, his family announced in an Instagram post.
In April, Neill had announced that he was cancer-free after undergoing a clinical trial in Australia. He had been diagnosed with stage 3 angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare blood cancer, in 2022.
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Who was Sam Neill?
Born Nigel John Dermot Neill in Omagh, Northern Ireland, he was raised in New Zealand and became known as Sam Neill.
The award-winning actor was known for starring in three "Jurassic Park" films, playing paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant, according to IMDb.
Neill appeared in the 1993 film "Jurassic Park," the 2001 film "Jurassic Park III" and the 2022 film "Jurassic World: Dominion."
What is 'Jurassic Park'?
"Jurassic Park" is a film franchise by director Steven Spielberg, including the 1993 film "Jurassic Park," the 1997 film "The Lost World: Jurassic Park," the 2001 film "Jurassic Park III" the 2015 film "Jurassic World," the 2018 film "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom," and the 2022 film "Jurassic World: Dominion," IMDb noted.
The movies are based on the idea that modern scientists were able to recreate dinosaurs that lived 60 million years ago — and create new species — by using DNA captured from mosquitoes trapped in amber.
USA TODAY contributed.
Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Who was Sam Neill? 'Jurassic Park' star dead at 78
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